MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - Another person who was swept into Government Cut near South Pointe Park by a powerful wave last week is sharing their ordeal. They also hope that authorities take it as a lesson from Mother Earth and warn pedestrians about king tides.
Lee Karlin, 67, was hurt and hospitalized after being washed away by a wall of water, last Friday.
“People started yelling, then people started running away,” he said. “You could easily have a death or something really bad.”
Wednesday, he recounted that terrifying moment.
“I sustained 25 stitches here,” said Karlin.
He has a gash on his leg the length of his shin.
“The whole leg is still swollen,” he said.
The active senior is now sidelined after he was roughed up by a rogue wave at South Pointe Park.
Cellphone video captured the terrifying moment Karlin, his wife and several others were swept away by a monster wave that washed over the sidewalk, near the pier.
“This one kept coming and coming and coming. I and another young lady were both slammed into metal posts that prevented us from going over the rocks into the ocean,” said Karlin. “My wife and a few others were actually thrown into the ocean over the rocks.”
A picture was taken just after rescue arrived. Karlin had taken his T-shirt off to help stop the bleeding from his leg.
Also in the photo, Jill Herman, who was thrown into Government Cut.
“It was like a tsunami, like this huge, huge wave — super loud, super fast,” she said.
Herman spoke to 7News over the weekend.
“I just keep replaying it over and over,” said Herman. “I’m underneath water, being thrown onto the boardwalk, and I’m underwater. I’m choking, I can’t breathe. I’m thinking, ‘That’s it.’”
Herman said she was able to pull herself up. Paramedics rushed to her aid, as well as several others.
“I don’t know if you can see the gash in my head,” she said as she showed her injuries to a 7News crew.
She needed staples to close the wound on her head. She has a broken rib and bruising and cuts all over her body.
According to the City of Miami Beach, six people were injured when the wall of water moved ashore.
It was likely caused by a combination of the king tide and rough water in the wake of Hurricane Ian.
Karlin is hoping city leaders learn from this powerful push from Mother Nature and take steps to make sure no one else gets hurt.
“To rope off that area with the police tape and not allow people to go there and maybe just put up a small sign giving a warning, that if the king tide corresponds with the high tide or there’s stormy weather, it can have dangerous effects,” said Karlin.
Karlin’s wife was left with cuts and bruises. She did not want to be interviewed.
According to the county, the next series of king tides for Miami-Dade will be Oct. 7 through Oct. 12.
The City of Miami Beach said they believe that huge wave was the result of the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and not related to king tides.
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